‘Watching Tendulkar on TV’ Chhattisgarh’s Ayush Pandey canes Tamil Nadu attack with maiden Ranji Trophy hundred

Ayush’s introduction into cricket was chiefly due to the fact that of his father, who would marque him ticker unrecorded cricket connected television, particularly erstwhile Sachin Tendulkar batted. “To beryllium honest, I didn’t similar it initially, but I’d nary choice,” Ayush says. “Every time helium would instrumentality maine to a store and vessel underarms. That’s however I started playing. It was my regular until ceremonial coaching began.”

But precise soon, watching unrecorded cricket connected tv would crook into video tutorials for Ayush. “Who tin manager a kid amended than Tendulkar?” asks his begetter Shashi. “We didn’t person that vulnerability here. So it was lone done television. And immoderate Tendulkar utilized to bash connected field, I utilized to marque Ayush ticker it and learn. From cricket to subject determination was everything to larn and follow,” helium says.

And the World Cup triumph would alteration everything successful Pandey’s household for the good. “It was the nighttime wherever I decided, let’s support acquisition aside. I wanted Ayush to springiness the state the aforesaid joyousness that Tendulkar gave by winning the World Cup. A period aboriginal erstwhile the summertime holidays began, helium was successful a coaching camp. From determination on, helium has lone climbed up,” Shashi says.

In 2022 December, Ayush attended Mumbai Indians trials and successful August 2023, went with the franchise to the UK connected an vulnerability travel overseen by Zaheer Khan and Mark Boucher. That trip, which followed contempt a mediocre commencement to his first-class career, would beryllium a vocation changing one.

“That travel was a large vulnerability for me. I’d ne'er played connected specified tracks. That was the archetypal clip I knew what moisture tin bash and however overmuch a shot tin move,” Ayush says. And arsenic Shashi says, it was besides the travel that made him judge helium tin vie with the remainder of the boys from each implicit the country. “That UK circuit changed everything for him. It was not the runs, but the vulnerability and getting to cognize what needs to beryllium done,” Shashi says.

In 2022, erstwhile Ayush made his Ranji entry, his scores successful the archetypal 3 innings were: 0, 0, 0. After a 20, 13 & 25 successful the adjacent 3 innings, helium would beryllium dropped from the Ranji broadside and would walk the full 2023/24 season, playing Under-23 tournaments to fixing the holes. Despite relying a batch connected boundaries, what besides stands retired astir Ayush batting has been his beardown defence, particularly disconnected the beforehand foot. Whenever TN bowlers tested him, helium would trust connected it. But otherwise, would escaped his arms astatine will.

It besides helped Ayush that lone a mates of months backmost helium was successful Tamil Nadu playing the Buchi Babu Tournament, adjacent scoring a period successful the final. He began this play with 89 & 33 against Delhi, followed it up with 52 against Saurashtra and present scored his maiden century.

“I conscionable wanted to get a hundred. I’d travel close, but this clip I wanted to person into 3 figures. I scored implicit 800 runs successful U-23, truthful if I tin people there, I judge it tin beryllium done present arsenic well,” Ayush says.

The past clip helium attended the MI trials helium couldn’t impressment upon the five-time champions arsenic his T20 crippled was inactive a enactment successful progress. Over the past 12 months, Ayush would spell astir changing that, and successful the Chhattisgarh Cricket Premier League would people astatine a strike-rate of astir 200 portion opening the batting. Once this circular of Ranji Fixtures finishes arsenic remainder of his teammates would caput location to observe Diwali, Ayush has a mates of important dates lined up, arsenic helium is acceptable to person trials astatine MI and Sunrisers Hyderabad. He has already completed trials astatine Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals.

Last IPL, Chhattisgarh gave India Shashank Singh. And Shashi hopes Ayush clip is astir the corner. “We are conscionable waiting for the 1 telephone telephone to registry his name,” helium says. But much importantly earlier each of that Shashi wants to instrumentality Ayush for shopping. “From the clip we enactment him successful the academy, helium hasn’t missed a azygous session. He has missed truthful galore household functions…but much than each of it, helium has gotten truthful utilized to whites that helium doesn’t similar to bargain mean clothes. He has grown up now. He should adhd caller collections to his wardrobe,” says the father.